


Surfacing

by RowynSN



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark Naruto, M/M, Slow Burn, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-01
Updated: 2014-08-17
Packaged: 2018-01-14 04:05:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1252105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowynSN/pseuds/RowynSN
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Naruto died and came back to life, he expected everything to be easy. He has been granted more time, but does that really help him prepare for forces that might even be beyond him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks goes to my two betas that made this a lot better: [Angel's Sins](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2517223/), [Jun Yabriel](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/1061919/)

Blue eyes narrowed. Tense teeth clenched. When he woke up and saw that Sakura was holding a kunai against his throat, betrayal flittered through his mind.

"What's this all about?" he asked, slowly taking in the situation.

This was an ambush, and yet no one else was with her. He scanned the room; no other sources of chakra were detected. Did she really think she could kill him herself?

She stood, hushed by an anger that started to define more and more on her features. Her hand shook and her gaze sharpened as she straightened her back. "You've ruined everything."

Ruined... _everything_? He couldn't even recall the last time he even talked to Sakura. Let alone how he "ruined everything."

"This is the first time I've even heard of this." The kunai was now biting into his flesh. Blood trickled from the wound.

"Get off of me or I will hurt you," he said calmly.

She ignored his warning as she continued to rant. "I have to kill you before you ruin all of our lives. First, you take Sasuke, and now you want to push out the elders. No one messes with the new elders. No one." Her voice was so cold.

This was all so out of character but it didn't surprise him. He had a sneaking suspicion on who was really behind this. He knew that this was bound to happen sooner or later.

After a pause, he realized where he left his ninja tool last night. Slowly, he reached under the pillow for his hidden kunai as she continued to talk.

"And to think Sasuke chose you. It's insulting - "

When the kunai was in his grip, like a flash, he slashed upward and disappeared, leaving feathers in his wake. Sakura gritted her teeth in frustration as he hopped out the window.

 _Sasuke_.

He would need more manpower, but he couldn't risk Sasuke getting hurt. Hopefully, the focus would remain on him and not Sasuke. Worry etched into his face. He had to get to the Uchiha district regardless.

He knew that if there were a bunch of chakra sources in one place, Sasuke would investigate. Naruto couldn't let that happen; he had to warn him to stay out of it. But would Sasuke actually heed his warning? Naruto shook his head. It was better than the latter that was for sure.

Channeling his chakra to his feet, he jumped from building to building. Even if they make the slightest scratch on him, Naruto knew he wouldn't be able to hold back. His eyes tapered to slits. He'd kill them all.

The air whistled behind him. He quickly turned around and knocked the shurikens out of the air. About ten men circled around Naruto wearing ANBU masks.

"By order of the high elders and the Hokage, you are hereby under arrest."

Under arrest, his ass. They weren't just going to confine him to imprisonment, and he knew their game. Maybe it was the whole betrayal issue that made his head feel as if it had its own pulse, or maybe it was his hate for the ANBU, but flickers of Kyuubi's chakra magnified the feeling ten times over. His betrayal conformed into anger, and anger fleshed out into high levels of rage.

"Die."

His rage was palpable and unbridling as he venomously spat those words out before making 20 clones. They all had a kunai and he followed them into the attack. Focusing all of his chakra into his ninja tool and forearm, Naruto went for the one with the weasel mask first. He used his wind chakra to give the strike an extra push to slice all the way through his skull.

"Eat _shit_ …!"

More wrath fueled his jump to the next attack. All he saw was red. Moments passed before he realized he had summoned his Rasengan fifteen times, tearing each victim's body to shreds.

He needed to stop his anger from getting a hold of him. This wasn't the first time this happened though. And he certainly didn't report it to the higher ups when he was on a mission and someone was stupid enough to go for Sasuke.

He placed a body down before going lax, unfurling his fist.

All he's ever done was strive to help the village. Protect it and keep it safe from all who wished to harm it. Did they not see his effort? Did they not appreciate his sacrifice?

"What did I tell you, kid? The village was never going to accept you. It might be a little inappropriate, but I did earn the right to say I told you so." Kyuubi's cynical voice startled him.

His anger burned bright once more.

"I know, I know!" Naruto snapped. "You were right and I was wrong."

"You don't need to get snarky, but, yes, I'm glad you recognize it. Why don't we go and kill everyone while we're at it? I feel up for a little more blood-shedding. How about you?"

"We need to warn Sasuke first."

"The Uchiha? Why? I'm sure he can fend for himself."

"You heard the ANBU. The Hokage and the elders issued the arrest order. Do you know what that means? Everyone in the fucking village is gonna have to fight. We can't have Sasuke going to check it out when everyone is out to get me. I'm sorry, but Kakashi and the Hokage are gonna be tough opponents. We can't have him trying to defend us. He could die." The thought left a sour taste in his mouth.

"...whatever you say. But we need to go soon. They're probably on their way."

Naruto jumped and sprinted towards the Uchiha district. It would only be a few minutes until he saw Sasuke one last time.

Then, appearing like a flash before him was Sakura, attempting to punch him in the stomach. He flipped Sakura's arm towards her, propelling the force back. She stumbled away from him in a daze before attempting to attack him again. His grip on his kunai tightened before going for her head. She dodged.

The fight sounded like a bunch of clashing metal. He attacked, she dodged—roles constantly reversed. Their dance of anger continued until Naruto performed his Clone Jutsu. Unable to dodge in time, Sakura was knocked to the road. Her head slammed into the ground hard.

"You're not getting around me," she said, her breaths coming out in short pants.

Naruto stood across from her. Sakura was out of his league.

"Sorry to cut this short, but I've got somewhere I need to be."

He needed to end this in one blow, but he didn't want to kill Sakura. She was his childhood friend and he still held her dear to his heart. However, she was no longer his; she was no longer the _Sakura_ he once loved like a sister.

The hands signs came naturally but felt out of place. He wasn't on the training grounds or dueling with Sasuke. This was Sakura, not Sasuke.

"Shadow Style: Dragon Plaque!" It was a jutsu that Sasuke taught him for a quick kill or, at least, a distraction.

A tiny shadow-clad dragon zipped around before landing on Sakura's skin. The effect was immediate. Her skin began to slowly blacken as the dragon swirled like ink, spreading quickly all over her body. She swatted at the dragon, but the effort was futile. The paralyzing poison was already starting to take effect. Her eyes started to glaze over and her body stiffened.

"What did you do to me?"

Her voice came out nothing more than a squeak despite her attempts to yell; it was only a shadow of her former voice.

He said nothing despite the urge to do so. He turned back to the task at hand.

He just needed to see Sasuke. He neared the gates that led to the entrance of the Uchiha district and pushed the squeaky frame open before sprinting to his house.

"Sasuke!"

Yelling into the stillness felt wrong, like he was disturbing the dead. Sasuke still lived here but his presence seemed almost nonexistent. He yelled once more, this time screeching his name. Coming closer to his room, Naruto's yelling became more frantic, adrenaline surging in his veins and desperation clawing at his insides. He hoped Sasuke was alright. Naruto slammed the doors open.

Sasuke was sitting up on his bed, tense with aggravation. He pinned Naruto with a glare. A "what?" staggered through clenched teeth.

"They finally did it," Naruto huffed out.

"Did what?"

"You know—it."

Impatience quickly replaced confusion.

"So they finally did it, huh? I didn't expect for it to happen so quickly."

"Just please, don't come. This is my fight. I just came here to tell you before you would sense it."

Sasuke's fists gripped his blanket so hard his knuckles turned white. "Are you telling me that I can't help my best friend, that you want me to stay in this shit hole without helping you?"

Naruto gave a weak smile. "Yeah, I know, but trust me. Please don't come. I don't want your death on my hands."

"That's complete bullshit." Sasuke was seething. His face was blank but his jaw was clenched tightly and he could heard his teeth grinding from within.

A moment of silence passed by until Sasuke pushed the blanket away from him and hopped onto his feet. "Yeah, right, like I would let you do this without me. I'm going."

Naruto grimaced and tried to plead with his eyes.

Sasuke shook his head in response. "I don't care. I'm going."

"Why can't you ever listen to me?" Naruto sighed. "I guess I had no choice either way, did I?"

Sasuke gave a curt nod before briskly rummaging through his closet for his stealth gear, but a light tapping made them both freeze on the spot. They were here.

He motioned to Sasuke to hurry up and pressed his ear against the door. The tapping stopped but he knew they were there. He heard a sharp intake of breath and jumped back from the onslaught of shuriken.

Naruto looked back at Sasuke's half naked body before throwing a flurry of chakra-charged kunai at the intruder. The intruder evaded the attack and Naruto's fist connected with his stomach. The masked assassin's body fell to the ground. Naruto grabbed the kunai and slit the man's throat.

"You ready? he said.

Sasuke came out of the room while adjusting his ninja pouch to his hip.

"If you're really coming along, we have to go now."

Sasuke gave a noncommittal grunt before nodding.

They both looked at each other as the sound of several feet heading their way permeated the house.

They nodded at each other before Naruto moved towards the back exit. They started to run. Judging from their noisy entrance, the intruders weren't experienced enough to mask their presence from them. He could've taken them down, but their forces would probably lock them inside the Uchiha district. It was too confining and performing huge jutsus would be difficult.

They barreled through the village with no one in their way. However, Naruto knew something was brewing. The village was too quiet, too empty for someone they wanted dead.

"A lot of chakra up ahead."

Naruto knew what that meant; he expected no less from the new Hokage.

"Sasuke?"

"Yeah?"

"If we die, or if I die, I just want to thank you."

Sasuke gave him a curious look. "For what? We're not going to die. I doubt they could kill us."

"We could be the best in the whole universe, but a force of a hundred could deplete our chakra— not to mention Kakashi and the Hokage are somewhere in the mix."

Sasuke never replied, so Naruto continued. "I want to thank you for always being there for me. I, uh…never told you this before, but…I love you."

Sasuke inhaled sharply before exhaling.

Naruto knew it was a lot to put on Sasuke, especially considering this could be the last time they could ever talk freely again, but he had to say it. He'd die in contentment knowing that Sasuke knew his true feelings.

As they closed in in the chakra mass, anticipation for the upcoming battle skyrocketed. All thoughts of the love confession had to be cast aside. Despite this, Naruto was relieved.

"And our two favorite ninja finally arrive!" Kakashi presented them sarcastically.

The others behind him giggled, but he glared intently at the two. Naruto didn't know when Kakashi started to hate them. Maybe when Iruka died or when the new Hokage put false thoughts in his head. It was probably the latter.

Several questions burned at the forefront of Naruto's mind. Yet he brought forth only one from his lips: "Why assassinate me now?"

Kakashi paused. "Because we know what you were up to. No need to play dumb. You know perfectly well what I'm talking about."

He didn't know what exactly set them off; there were so many things he could be talking about. He held his tongue. It didn't matter anyways. This battle and making it out alive was the only thing he should focus on.

Naruto took a deep breath.

"Let's cut the chit-chat. It's a little too boring for my taste." This was not the Kakashi they once knew. It hadn't been Kakashi since he went insane from his life partner's death. They weren't mad at him though. Everyone seemed to be underneath some sort of spell when it came to hating Naruto. Could this be from the Hokage or someone higher up in the chain of command?

"I agree!"

Naruto appeared before Kakashi and kicked his head. Kakashi dodged before flipping backwards. Naruto didn't give him a chance to land. He was right beside him and summoned two clones that each made a Rasengan.

Kakashi slashed one and dismissed it, but failed to get the other. It crashed into his side and he landed hard. Naruto's hand met Kakashi's face, pounding it further in the dirt.

Not even a complete second passed.

"You think I'd let you kill me so easily?"

Kakashi's voice came from 20 meters behind him. He looked down and saw his fist broke a substitution doll.

Naruto could sense him coming at high speed and dodged the attack by ducking to the side. Before Kakashi could retract his fist, Naruto threw a kunai. A fluid dodge by Kakashi allowed Naruto enough time to form hand signs.

"Wind Style: Two Swords!"

A wind-like sword appeared in each of his hands before he ran towards Kakashi's direction. Kakashi performed the hand signs to his Lightning Blade. The two of them clashed, wind against lightning, and they fizzled out on impact. His instincts automatically went on the offensive and he sliced Kakashi's left arm.

It made Kakashi drop to the ground and scream, clutching at his empty arm socket. He tried not to feel bad, but he couldn't help feel something stir in his stomach when blood spurted out.

His eyes darted away from the wound. Kakashi was still his teacher. Naruto berated himself for thinking about it too much. He was trying to kill him and those thoughts didn't belong in a battle.

Kakashi glared at him, rage scaling from the depths of his eyes. The unarmed man got to his feet again and barreled towards him. He took his kunai out and, blinded by rage, started the feral attack. There was no rhythm to it and Naruto found it difficult to predict his movements.

This went on for a while. With only one arm hindered Kakashi immensely. The force behind his attacks were deadly.

Naruto dodged almost all the hits and punched him back. It was him thinking too much again.

"Naruto, hurry up! I'm almost out of chakra." Sasuke's voice jolted him out of his naïve mindset. He had to finish this battle—and quickly. There was no sparing him; Kakashi had to die. He was reluctant, but he motioned the hand signs anyways.

"Earth and Ice style: God's Wrath!"

Rocks leapt from beneath him and attached themselves to Kakashi. After a moment, the jutsu did its job; ice spiked up at the ends of the rocks and pierced his body. Naruto watched as Kakashi fell limp.

Kakashi Hatake was dead. He tried to take his mind off of it, but his eyes were glued to his dead body. He had to let go, he thought as he turned to Sasuke. He couldn't dwell on the past; he had to refocus on the present.

Sasuke was holding them off rather well. To the untrained eye, Sasuke did not look exhausted or almost out chakra; but, to Naruto, the Uchiha looked tired.

He rushed over to his side and combated alongside Sasuke. They fought and fought until they couldn't go on any longer.

Sasuke was the first one to run out of juice. He collapsed, but Naruto was there to fight for his best friend. The people surrounded him in a circle. He tried to fight all of them and protect Sasuke, but there were too many. He even resorted to tapping into Kyuubi's chakra, though, there were still too many.

Something fishy was going on. It was more than the Leaf's forces. He knew he and Sasuke defeated more than a thousand ninjas, yet there was no end to them. Who did the village go to for help?

Naruto's body ached terribly. The never-ending wave of ninjas didn't stop. He slashed and slashed, yet the rounds never changed even after all his efforts. He couldn't move anymore. After a day and a half of fighting, he couldn't do it anymore.

Sasuke woke up that very moment. He probably sensed that these would be his final moments. Naruto stood, frozen by the haze of ninja stars thrown at him. They were biting into his skin. Time stood still. A ringing started in his ears as Sasuke screamed his name. He couldn't hear it but smiled anyway. At least, Sasuke was alive. That was all that mattered to him.

Heavy eyelids slipped. It felt as if the ground beneath him caved in. Blackness darkened his vision. As he fell towards death "Sasuke…" was whispered ever so softly.

His friend was crying so hard for him that the other ninjas just looked on—said nothing, did nothing. It was just him they wanted.

Naruto couldn't finish the thought. He could only embrace death.

_Life wasn't linear. It was like a circle that never fluxed and never broke. Kyuubi knew that she would be reborn again as another Tailed Beast in a different universe. Her nine tails wouldn't be guaranteed in the trade between universes though. She didn't want to be Ichibi again._

_However, this world wasn't all that bad. She liked her host and she didn't have to socialize with the other Tailed Beasts. It was perfect. That is until Naruto had to go and die on her. Stupid human. Just like all the hosts' deaths before him, Naruto appeared before her. Only this time she actually liked this one. Sanbi always did like to say there was a first for everything._

_"You're going to die." She didn't feel like beating around the bush this time. She had to convince him now._

_"Yeah, I know." His voice was meek._

_"Do you want to live?"_

_He looked at her as if she was stupid. His look said, "Who wouldn't want to live?"_

_"Of course I do, but it's impossible..." His voice trailed off._

_His pathetic voice. It annoyed her. "Of course it's not impossible. Well, it would be for anyone except me."_

_Hope made its way into Naruto's eyes. "Of course! I could tell Sasuke, and we can move before they attack."_

_"Not that kind of time travel."_

_Naruto looked confused. "Then what kind of time travel are you talking about?"_

_"I'm going to undo your time book. Or in simplistic terms, your body's age and the events that came with it."_

_"But then I won't remember anything and might die again."_

_"No, dumb-ass. I'll absorb your memories and give them back to you when I am sealed inside you again."_

_"Oh."_

_"Hurry up and give me your permission. This pesky seal won't let me do it without it."_

_"I give you permission to go back in time…?"_

_Kyuubi felt her belly burn before the cage opened. Naruto stepped inside and she gathered all of her energy into a ball before sealing them. She grimaced as she dreaded the notion of undergoing all that recovery from energy loss._

_All would be well though. She would have her nine tails and wouldn't have to be stuck with some other human she didn't like. It was a win in her book. As she guided them to their destined point in history, Naruto's body started to change. They both disappeared to their designated places. She, in Kushina's chakra core, and Naruto, in her womb._

_It was going to be a long eight months._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks goes to my two betas that made this a lot better: [Angel's Sins](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2517223/), [Jun Yabriel](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/1061919/)

In the dawning light of a frigid fall morning, fog decided to cling to buildings and the vendors that prepared for the coming day. Naruto watched from the top of an upscale condominium. Obscured by taller buildings, no one detected him.

He was waiting patiently for that right moment. If that moment didn't appear, he'd simply have to make one. Not that he needed to, because minutes later an opportunity presented itself.

Naruto's muscles tensed before he moved towards the ground. Using the shadows and the fog to cover his tracks, he grabbed all the food he could carry. This was the only way he could survive on something other than ramen.

His arms trembled before he decided to go back to his apartment. It was the place where he spent his childhood and teenage years in the last life and now. The paint on the wall along with the wallpaper were peeling off, and the boards were so shoddy that even walking on them was too much. They broke often, and he just didn't have the means to replace them. He'd burn the place down if he had a chance. Unfortunately, it was the only place he was allowed to live in. His old orphanage didn't allow him to live there.

Naruto couldn't even believe he used to act so cheerful all the time. He wondered if it was all the ramen he used to eat. His horrible nutrition must have affected his brain.

He sighed in relief as he placed the pile of food on his cracked counter. Even if his mind held twenty years of experience from the other world, his body was still weak and only seven years old. He put all the food away as he tried to remember what he had to do today. His schedule came to the forefront of his mind.

Oh. That's right. That snaggletooth bitch from the orphanage was coming to give him his money. He supposed he'd have to stay at his house. He swallowed the instinct to punch the already sagging wall. Even a light punch would probably leave a gaping hole in his wake.

Even if those dreams happen again he wasn't going to stare at the puke-colored wallpaper all day. He carefully walked over to his bed and stretched out his arms. Even though he'd woken up only three hours before, a nap wouldn't hurt. Maybe he wouldn't have a dream. Before he knew it, sleep claimed him. ~~~~

* * *

If Sasuke could have just one wish, he'd go back in time.

He missed Naruto. The image of his blood-soaked body wouldn't leave his mind. Eight years later and his best friend still haunted him. His last dying breath still ghosted over his skin. He knew he couldn't go into the village without remembering Naruto's bright smile; he was glad he couldn't, just in case he was tempted to. He didn't even get to return his "I love you." He wished he could just say it back. Looking back now, he couldn't remember why he didn't.

Sasuke was still in a jail cell. Fortunately, he didn't have to talk to the traitors. He wouldn't have to pretend he didn't want to rip their skins from their bodies and choke them with it.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

The scary-looking one was here. He didn't want another day of torture. No more torture, he wanted to scream out, only to remain silent. He merely stared at the wall. 'I love you' was written in dried blood. He blinked and it vanished, as if it were never there. His chest started to ache.

Nothing never stayed, did it? he thought hopelessly.

He wondered if the afterlife was that far away. He hoped not. If so, he wouldn't get to see Naruto soon. And the thought of not seeing Naruto was a bitter pill to swallow, and he would know. The pills they gave him at the beginning of his stay were terrible.

"Sasuke Uchiha, stand up or I'll rip off your backside skin so you can't sit down! Don't think I won't do it."

The threat seeped with venom. Could someone poison themselves with words? Such a fancy made the Uchiha chuckle.

"I'm warning you."

He shifted from foot to foot almost nervously while his eyes darted back and forth between his torturer and the ceiling. Sasuke guessed those venomous words couldn't kill him. He laughed hysterically as the man pulled him up by his hair and…

* * *

 

Naruto awoke with a gasp. His body was drenched in cold sweat and his hands trembled almost violently. His eyes were wide, unseeing, and he blinked, trying to focus. An insistent tapping was coming from his front door.

It was probably the orphanage lady.

Naruto took a deep breath before he said, "Coming!"

He rubbed his face as he got up.

"How many times do I have to knock? It's not like I have all day."

Naruto opened the door and just glared. He hated her tone, he hated the way she patronized him, and her putrid face made it all the more infuriating. If only he could punch her in that disgusting face.

Though he never liked to dwell on those dreams, they got to him anyway. He cleared his throat to try and shake it off; but that man's strong fist in his hair and the craziness that engulfed Sasuke's mind was still a ghost that lingered in his head.

The lady gave him a cold look. "I could just not give you this money, you ungrateful brat."

"But you're going to." He waved his hand nonchalantly, then held it out. It clearly pissed her off and he had to restrain the urge to smirk at his accomplishment.

Her face morphed into silent fury and then settled back into its frigid state. "I don't have to give you this money. You can always come back to the orphanage and I'm sure you don't want that."

"Of course not. But I'm sure your partner would disagree with you."

He smiled at her and she stood there silently, trying to reign her emotions in check and, he guessed, her violent urges.

"Whatever, _brat_."

She glared daggers at him with the condescending word, but he rolled his eyes and held out his hand. The snaggletooth crone handed him the roll of cash before teetering away.

"Thank you," he said, feeling anything but.

She turned around at the corner, sneered, then took her leave.

Naruto had his money now, so he had no reason to stay in his apartment. Slamming the door on his way out, he didn't even bother to lock it. No one dared to actually go in. They just threw things at it. Even worse, break the door or the front exterior. He dreaded the thought of fixing either or even both. The blond smoothed his hair down before going outside. He didn't want to think about it longer than he had to. The villagers wouldn't change. So what was the point of dwelling? He settled for losing himself in the crisp, fresh air.

It was around noon. The sky was bright and the wind was cool. His trash cans were haphazardly thrown to the old, cracked cement. Trash was strewn all over the ground. The smell was rank, and the sun certainly did not help it any. It wafted through the air, but somehow never managed to get inside. After a second, Naruto dragged himself over to clean up the mess. What did the villagers expect to accomplish with their actions? It wasn't like he'd leave just because a few trash cans were tipped over.

He wondered what he was going to do today. As good as training sounded, he couldn't let them see how advanced he was just yet. When the time came, he wouldn't be able to hide it any longer. For now, he was just weak Naruto—nothing more, nothing less.

Besides, he kind of liked it when his enemies underestimated him. They handed him every chance to prove them wrong.

Naruto treaded carefully to the Uchiha district. The Uchiha Clan didn't like him any more than the rest of the village. They ignored him, made it seem as if he didn't exist. It hurt more than the villagers showing their contempt.

In retrospect, he was sort of glad Itachi Uchiha killed them off. They were arrogant in a holier-than-thou sort of way and, knowing the clan, he bet that Sasuke wouldn't have been half as strong as he was in the past. Most of them relied on their family's name instead of skill. Not to say they weren't skillful; it's just the clansmen put faith in their birthright instead of what they could actually do.

Naruto found himself at the gate. He didn't go in but looked the inside over. Hopefully, he'd get a glimpse of Sasuke. Not the best plan, but what better things did he have to do? He couldn't train - he had to wait until a lackadaisical guard slipped up to study some forbidden scrolls - and sleeping was out of the question.

So what if he felt like a stalker? He missed Sasuke. The Sasuke Naruto dreams of each night was, in fact, the previous Sasuke. There was not a doubt in his mind; and that hurt because Sasuke was in that predicament because of him. He should've left him and died by himself. He was very selfish and what he did was unforgivable, but he would make everything up with this new Sasuke. Even so, he was still selfish. He didn't deserve the old Sasuke and he certainly didn't deserve the new one, but he hoped one day he would.

Scanning the bustle and hustle of the Uchiha commune, Naruto didn't see any sign of Sasuke. He stood there for a good ten minutes and, yet, there was nothing. Maybe the main family didn't come this way? Maybe they didn't socialize with the other lower members of the Uchiha clan? That, in a way, didn't surprise him.

"Kyuubi…" came, like an underhand kunai from a shadow as several harsh whispers erupted in the air.

The Uchiha carried on like the crescendo of whispers wasn't even there, and the others gaped as if he himself murdered their entire family.

Everyone but the Uchihas stopped what they were doing, just to turn and glower at him. He knew that was his cue to leave. He shouldn't have stared for so long anyways. But it couldn't be helped now. The Jinchūriki cleared his throat, casting his eyes downward as if something interesting was plastered on the ground.

Naruto strode towards the Ninja Academy. He supposed that was where he was supposed to be. It wasn't where he was going to attend, but he was making it look like he was going.

He vaguely wondered why they haven't forced him to go. Probably because they didn't really care, but that still didn't explain the Third Hokage; that old man always stuck up for him and acted like he genuinely cared about his wellbeing. Maybe it was just his cynicism, but Naruto wondered if he was only doing if out of moral obligation, not because he actually cared but because of the promise he made to his father.

Those possibilities swirled like a storm. He continued to stare at the ground until a hard body bumped into him.

"Watch where ya going!" Well, that was new. An accent of some sort?

Naruto looked up to see a strange-looking man. He had translucent white hair and tribal tattoos going down the side of his face. His forehead held a script completely unknown to him—and that was rare. Considering his knowledge about seals and script, it surprised him that he couldn't recognize it at all. Was he from the west? Rumors told of people from the west having strange accents. Well, it surely wasn't a rumor anymore.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going…" Naruto's gaze traveled to the other man's eyes and they clashed. What a strange color they were; silver with intricate black swirls...or was that writing?

"Keep yer head up kid. Maybe I wouldn't've done it if ya had."

The man patted his shoulder. Sharp? Friendly? He marched on by and soon disappeared into the crowd.

What a strange man.

He shook his head before he continued towards the school again. He doubted he'd ever see that man again. Why ponder over things that didn't concern himself?

So he didn't. Curious sky-blue eyes peeked around the corner of the entry fence. All sorts of little kids were playing on the playground, boisterous and energetic. His lips twitched into a small smile before it disappeared. He remembered when he was innocent like them, as innocent an orphan could be to take care of himself anyways.

Naruto missed the uncomplicated things. If it weren't for his selfish desires, he'd be dead right now. If he were a better man, he would've died when he did. He would've accepted it. What real reason did he have to live other than Sasuke and revenge? He'd be a hypocrite if that was what fueled him now; he warned Sasuke plenty of times that revenge was a stupid reason to live for. Yet it was a reason why he was alive. But Sasuke was his precious person, and he'd sworn to protect him no matter what. If getting revenge was a way to do it, he would.

"Naruto Uzumaki, how nice of you to show."

The blond had been spotted. Putting on a fake, golden smile, Naruto turned around.

"Hey…" he trailed off.

He had nothing else to say. Naruto was, for a lack of a better word, tongue-tied.

The woman's face was familiar, but he couldn't pull it from memory. She was relatively young, perhaps around Kakashi's age? Her brunet tresses were pulled back into a high pony tail and several strands were sticking out. She would've been attractive if not for the perpetual scowl etched into her features. Her whole aura screamed "bitch", though probably just another teacher who works at the Academy.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you going to school is mandatory?" Of course, they did. But usually, most ninja clans don't let their children attend school until they're ten. He knew everything in the curriculum, so why waste time?

"I didn't know you cared…!" Naruto flashed her another "gold lead" smile.

"Quite frankly, I don't, Uzumaki-kun. But it is the law. Not even you can escape it."

Where the hell did this inane lecture come from? Did she think the other village children not attending were breaking the law?

Despite the inanity, Naruto decided to humor her. "Well then…enroll me."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow, as if to make a bet. He was totally egging her on. She looked surprised.

Maybe he shouldn't have acted so…mature? It did seem strange for an eight-year-old to be acting in such a way that he was acting now.

"Show up tomorrow, and it'll be taken care of," she sneered.

The lady looked pained, as if someone was twisting her arm. Naruto didn't understand. She obviously didn't want him going, could've ignored him, walked away with no regrets. Why was she even making an effort?

"Sure? Miss...?" Naruto drawled in the most sugary voice he could come up with.

He needed to act like a little kid, and he was pretty sure they acted like this.

"Masako," she mimicked him.

Awkward silence washed over them until Naruto decided it was time to leave.

"Well, I'm gonna go then. See ya later!" Naruto tagged on with his new childlike enthusiasm.

He could start school now. There was always the option to make a shadow clone to go in his place.

"Bye…" the lady said curtly before leaving.

He wandered from the school and into the forest with the last battle suddenly on his mind. If only he wasn't so weak. After Sasuke killed Orochimaru and returned to Konoha, there was no reason for Naruto to train as hard as before.

He only started training hard again when politics in the village started to sink into corruption by "S." Naruto didn't know who "S" was, but the signature was showing up more and more frequently on documents that Sasuke and him dug up.

The Sixth Hokage, whom was elected after Lady Tsunade's strange death, was a man most of the village had never heard of before. And if that wasn't strange enough, Danzo, thought most likely to receive the position, suddenly had a heart attack. This S character was behind his death, that much was certain. Yet what he didn't know was the motive.

Why target him though? It wasn't due to the Kyūbi being inside of him. There was too much effort put into his death for it to be because of the Nine Tails.

As much as he racked his brain for an answer, the more frustrated he became. His thoughts circled the only plausible reason being the Nine Tails. Naruto didn't have many well-connected enemies that could pull all of that off. He doubted anyone in the council could do it, either.

Who was S? And how was Naruto going to stop him?

The shinobi teen took a seat on the ground, a scowl chiseled onto his features. At first, when his memories came back, he thought there were records of names that might lead to who S was. It was around the time files were going missing when whole sections started to become obsolete. Naruto thought that it would be simple: Find the names that might link to S's identity and take revenge. He never would've believed there'd be no traces, no leads, absolutely nothing.

Maybe it was naïve to believe this would all be a walk in the park. Naruto realized how difficult this task was really going to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would greatly appreciate constructive criticism. Or any comment/kudo/bookmark. 
> 
> Thanks for reading. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks goes to my beta that made this a lot better: [Angel's Sins](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2517223/)

Sasuke suddenly woke up. His ears rang as thunderous bangs echoed throughout his jail cell; his body shook with the noise as it got closer and closer.

His body ached, extraordinarily so, and he held in a whimper as a sharp pain jolted through his spine. He sat up despite it. More vociferous bangs rebounded through the prison and then a siren blared.

Was someone trying to escape? His heart rate increased and his fists shook. Was this his chance to escape? To finally be able to leave this place?

Shrill screams pierced the air over the siren, ripping sounds, and then a roar.

Who...?

And then Sasuke caught sight of salvation; a guard whose wide brown eyes were glazed over staggered towards him. His set of keys were clenched in his hand and blood was splattered over his gray attire. The man looked brainless, almost as if in a trance. He slowly made his way to Sasuke's cell and then unlocked the door. It creaked open and the mysterious man walked past his cell.

Sasuke shot up, his body groaning in protest. He ignored it. A smile curved onto his cracked lips. This was it. He was finally going to be able to leave, be able to get Naruto back. There had to be some way.

Right?

* * *

 

Naruto's eyes opened. To say he was surprised would be an understatement.

Sasuke...escaped? Not to say he wasn't happy - he was. Sasuke was finally free from the continual torture. But something was wrong. Who set up the escape? Why did the guardsman look possessed? Something weird was going on and concern churned furiously in his guts. He hoped Sasuke was alright. Hopefully, he didn't get more hurt than he already was.

Naruto's throat ran dry as he thought more about the situation. So many things he didn't know. It made his skin prickle in an unpleasant way. Something sinister was lurking underneath all of these events and yet the only connection he had made was S. Did S bust Sasuke out of prison? Was it just S doing all of these strange things or were there other people involved? Did S stand for some sort of organization? Questions played throughout his mind and yet they were just that - questions not answers.

Naruto rubbed his eyes before getting out of bed. He instinctively made a clone bound for school before leaving his apartment. He had to check on the Uchiha district and see if they were murdered yet. He didn't want to leave Sasuke alone after his family's death. Maybe if he had someone, Sasuke wouldn't leave Konaha in the future. Naruto could become closer to Sasuke than they were in the past and Sasuke wouldn't make the same mistakes. He hoped he could lessen the blow. Not just for Sasuke but for himself as well.

Was it selfish? Yes, undeniably so. But, Naruto couldn't help it; he couldn't help the still raging feeling he had for his best friend.

Hopefully, today would be the day. He made his way through the village without being spotted. Wearing darker colors did wonders when trying to blend in, but he fondly missed the color orange. It reminded him of a time of happiness and not the mess he was in now.

Arriving at the Uchiha district, his pulse jumped in delight. It was silent and best of all, no one was there. There weren't people going about their day but empty carts of items now forgotten. He almost laughed in delight.

Should he try to befriend Sasuke now, while the coals were still hot? Naruto stepped into the abandoned district regardless of what he thought was smart. Getting closer to Sasuke was smart, not befriending him was idiotic, ludicrous even.

Naruto took a deep breath as his gaze traveled the place. Blood stains littered the streets, some of the food merchandise haphazardly thrown around the district. The eerie feeling he felt during the last battle surfaced again.

Naruto wondered why they didn't have this place marked off. All of the bodies were gone; Sasuke could be gone for all he knew. Would the bodies already have been hauled out that quickly after the Uchihas were killed? It had only happened last night.

Venturing deeper into the Uchiha district, he didn't catch sight of anyone, much less Sasuke. Naruto decided to search the house before leaving. The door to the main house was partly open; he could see shoes lying messily on the floor. He opened the door and stepped passed them. The house was surprisingly tidy despite that.

"Sasuke?" he called out and winced. That probably wasn't a smart idea. Someone could still be lurking around, Sasuke could still be around.

Consequences be damned, he wanted to see Sasuke. Preferably now, healthy and alive. Not that he thought Sasuke was dead. Naruto knew perfectly well that Sasuke was alive and kicking, but the urge to actually confirm it burned in the pits of his stomach. It was probably from the other Sasuke appearing in his dreams.

Naruto searched the house and came up empty handed: Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. He huffed, agitated, and left the Uchiha district. Where was Sasuke? Did the orphanage get a hold of him? Did the Hokage have him? Naruto knew where he was going to start: the orphanage.

The way there didn't take long despite the crowd. The orphanage, ironically, was a cosy-looking building that didn't allude to the horrors inside. It's gray, white, and red exterior always looked freshly painted and the windows were as aesthetically pleasing as the rest of the building. He didn't bother knocking on the door.

Naruto came in through the side door. It was seldom used and was close to the children's room. If Sasuke was there... well, he couldn't deny he wanted to at least introduce himself. Maybe even invite him to live at his apartment? He was getting ahead of himself; first, he had to actually find Sasuke and then gain his trust.

The interior of the house hadn't changed much. It was eerily clean and the children were sober. He knew as soon as company came their dower mood would uplift and fake smiles would be plastered all over their faces. If someone only looked at the orphanage a couple times without delving too deeply, they would see a fine institution. It was anything but, certainly not a place for Sasuke to grieve properly.

Naruto slinked around the orphanage, looking for the Uchiha, attempting to remain out of sight. When he realized that Sasuke was not inside, he decided to ask a kid that had no one around him. He laid on his cot fully awake, but staring off into the distance with a hollow expression.

"I was wondering if there were any new kids added recently." The young boy looked up at Naruto in annoyance.

"Why don't you ask the caretakers?"

"Because I asked you. Have you seen any new kids, specifically boys?"

"Maybe I have, maybe I haven't. What's it to ya?"

The boy went back to lying on his cot. He wanted to say more, pester the kid until he told him the answer, but the kid seemed smart. Would he alert the caretakers? Naruto didn't want to take the chance. He was already lucky enough that this kid had no one hanging over his shoulder.

Naruto exhaled sharply before exiting the orphanage. Maybe Sasuke was just off by himself? He sure hoped so because if Sasuke was in the care of the Hokage... if that was the case Naruto couldn't see a chance to talk to him today or any day he was with the man. It would onlyprolong that fiery itch not seeing or talking to Sasuke produced.

 _There_. His heart leapt in the back of his throat. Miniature Sasuke sat swaying on a swing that was by far the most shoddiest thing about the orphanage. The entire thing was rusting and looked as if it could fall apart any moment. Sasuke's entire aura was just a pit of thinly veiled despair coupled with angry tears that hadn't fallen. If there was ever a time Naruto had ever felt the overwhelming urge to hug Sasuke, this beat it tenfold.

"Hello." Naruto tried not to sound too chipper. He didn't want to irritate Sasuke so early.

Sasuke slowly looked up at him. "What do you want?"

"You looked alone. I was just wondering if you wanted a friend." More silence. "You know if you were lonely."

Sasuke answered with silence, and continued to stare at him as if he would disappear if he gave him a dirty look long enough.

"Uzumaki Naruto. Nice to meet you." Naruto held out his hand but it remained untouched.

"This is the part where you say your name," he said.

"What's the point?"

"Because I want to be your friend." Straight to the point.

"..." Sasuke sat silently, the creak of the swing being the only sound between them.

"...If you ever wanted to talk... I - we can talk."

In a bout of silence he added harshly, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to be my friend? Me of all people? Is it because of my family? My brother?" He said brother with such venom. He was crying now. Tears streamed down Sasuke's cheeks before he quickly wiped them off.

"Like I said, you looked alone."

And then, like a crack of thunder, his bushin returned to him and memories flooded his mind.

Shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would greatly appreciate constructive criticism. Or any comment/kudo/bookmark. 
> 
> Thanks for reading. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks goes to my beta that made this a lot better: [Angel's Sins](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2517223/)

School wasn't something Naruto particularly liked. He loved learning yet relearning things he did instinctively wasn't his cup of tea. He might just be a clone, but it didn't mean he had no personality. There was a bit of Naruto in each and every one of them, making them unique in their own way.

Naruto pondered on this as the other children threw shurikens at their targets. He looked down at his own weapon before gripping it tightly.

Soon his brand of Naruto would be obsolete, forever gone, and only a mere moment that would be forgotten. He was frightened at the prospect and wondered briefly if the other clones felt the same way.

He threw his shurikens and it landed far away from the middle. He grabbed another one and did the same.

"Okay, class, time for lunch," the teacher said, getting ready to leave. "Collect your materials."

Some of the students followed suit and the only people left were him and a few others.

Naruto went to go pick up his tools but, before he could, the booming voice of one of the students interrupted him.

"Why don't you pick up ours, too, bitch?"

Naruto paused.

He turned around and took in their smug expressions. The leader of the group was a vicious-looking brunette with her arms crossed over her chest. The others were smirking, but they were just following the leader, holding no obvious grudge from what he could see. Did Kyuubi kill her parents? Did the villagers fill her mind with the "he's a demon" garbage?

Her smirk intensified. Would they move on if he ignored them? Probably not. Fuck.

Despite the want to rebel and wipe the infuriating smirks off their faces, he didn't. His body grew tense as he picked up the remaining tools. Naruto didn't look in their direction in fear of his pride surfacing and making him doing something he would regret.

"That's what I thought." Her voice was quite vile despite being a child.

His fists shook in suppressed rage.

Think of happy things. Think of ramen. Naruto took a deep breath. Yeah, ramen sounded good.

He put the tools away before he walked calmly to his usual bench outside.

Perhaps he should've predicted the outcome. Perhaps he should've showed at least a little bit of his strength in order to avoid returning back to Naruto. He hoped everything wouldn't be ruined as the result of his screwup.

He vanished, and the teacher watched in slight intrigue and suspicion.

* * *

 

Naruto's mind raced and his heart sped up. The only outward sign that something was amiss were the tightening of his fists. He looked on to Sasuke's almost blank face, and only his eyes gave any sign to the scope of the confusing mix of emotions. Naruto wanted to stay so badly. It was an instinct that could easily overtake his mind.

But what if he didn't diffuse the situation? He nearly shuddered at the implications. Masako. Naruto remembered her. Not in the most fondest of ways, but he did. She wasn't even his teacher but he needed to remain incognito. His real personality shined through at their meeting and he didn't want more suspicion so early in the game. He needed to go. But he didn't want to and, frankly, Sasuke needed him.

But...

"I have to go, but I promise I'll be back soon."

Sasuke's face turned red. Naruto couldn't tell if it was from annoyance, anger, or sadness.

"Don't bother," Sasuke said in a hollow tone.

It made the ache to stay more poignant.

Naruto merely gave a noncommittal grunt before saying, "we'll meet again soon."

His words were met with silence.

When Naruto arrived at the academy, he was still scouring his brain for a lie that was believable. Usually he would be able to lie with ease but for some unknown reason, his mind was blank. He hoped it would come to him sooner or later.

He scanned the playground. The group of kids that beat him up were gone and, in their place, another group of students were playing. Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Maybe if he ignored everything and went on as normal, no one would notice.

He hoped so. If that didn't work...Well, he'd cross that bridge when he got to it.

Naruto found some random bench and sat down. Minutes ticked by. His mind wandered to Sasuke. Thoughts of the past and bits of memories he had of him smiling (and not his infuriating smirk) flowed in his head. It was always a rare sight, especially if it was genuine.

He probably over said it in his head, but he missed Sasuke. This Sasuke would never be truly his, but it was pretty damn close. He had nothing to live for if he would never see Sasuke again. Revenge would've been for nothing. It would be counterproductive; if Sasuke died, he would surely follow.

Naruto stared out at the soon-to-be-ninjas. Sakura and Ino were among them. Naruto didn't know if he wanted to go talk to her or run away. The night before he died came to mind. He missed the old Sakura, missed the headstrong girl of his childhood, the one who didn't try to kill him. He chuckled at the irony.

Maybe he should try to befriend her. But then again, he didn't know what would happen and he wanted to make a good impression. He couldn't do that if their first meet was cut short.

He got up from the bench as the teacher signified the end of lunch and walked in the classroom with his eyes downcast, hoping the rest of the day would go by without them noticing him.

No such luck.

The brats from earlier came to his desk and he looked up, tempted to glare them down.

"You." The word was spoken with a mixture of contempt and confusion. "You fucking freak."

Ignore. Don't say anything. Blank expression. _Blank expression._

"We're talking to you." They were making a scene. The girl's shrill voice cut through the chatter and noise. Everyone was staring at them. What would shut them up? They continued their onslaught of insults before it hit him.

"I don't know what I did."

Deny it. He gave them the most innocent look he could muster.

The girl grabbed his shirt in one of her fists. "Liar!"

"Hey!" A familiar voice sounded through the room. Sakura? "He did nothing to you. Leave him alone!" The girl let go of his shirt and turned towards the pink-haired girl.

"You really going to stick up for him? The demon?"

"That's enough!" the teacher said; the two hushed. "Take your seats right now. Class started."

The rest of the day went by and the group of students glared at both Sakura and Naruto. He didn't care, he felt giddy. Sakura stood up for him. That alone made him feel special.

This was the time, the time in which he would become friends with Sakura. The future was looking more and more in a positive light. He was so close.

Become friends with his old friends and the odds of surviving would rise.

The feeling of being watched didn't become a huge concern as it should've been before. He felt truly and genuinely happy.

The swing was vacant when he went back. His mood deflated, and he suddenly felt as empty as the swing. He went home that night trying to squash the feeling. Soon, on the tip of his tongue.

* * *

 

The next day, Naruto didn't leave anything up to chance - he went to school himself. It was boring, as was expected, but he couldn't shake the feeling of something he couldn't describe. A sort of foreboding feeling that made his stomach anxious.

It made him uneasy. He decided that it would be best to hold off on attempting to pursue a friendship with Sakura. It wasn't as if Sakura was going anywhere; there was always tomorrow.

After school was over, Naruto headed straight to the orphanage. His mood lightened when he caught sight of Sasuke in the same spot as yesterday. A smile tugged on his lips as he greeted him.

"You again?" Sasuke said.

"Of course. I'm persistent."

Sasuke looked up before lowering his gaze once more. "I don't find this amusing. At all. Leave."

What happened in the space of a day? Sasuke didn't exactly welcome him with open arms yesterday but, today, it seemed as if anger had settled onto his every word.

"Good thing I wasn't trying to be. Amusing, that is." He simply sat on the swing next to him.

Despite Sasuke's hostile attitude, he decided to start off with small talk. Hopefully, Sasuke would warm up to him someday.

"Do you go to school?"

"No."

"What's your favorite food?" He knew the answer but wanted to ask anyway.

"Why would I tell you? Matter of fact, why do you want to know? Please, just leave."

"When I said we were going to be friends, I meant it."

"Hn," was all Sasuke said before getting up and leaving.

Naruto's heart constricted as he watched Sasuke walk away. Before Sasuke walked through the door, he yelled, "I'll be back tomorrow! Don't worry!"

Sasuke stiffened as he turned around with a glare.

"Don't!" he shouted before slamming the door behind him.

Another smile played on Naruto's lips before it slowly faded away. Not that he didn't expect the reaction, he just...he just wanted everything to be perfect now.

If only he was so lucky.

* * *

 

It tasted like ash on his tongue, a dry, hollow taste that reminded him of his childhood. Sasuke continued forward and tried not to dwell on how long all of this was taking. It had only been two weeks but it felt like an eternity underneath the pressure of trying to do the impossible.

Sasuke knew he would find no answers in either of the villages. The only person he knew was Orochimaru and he was long gone. No, Sasuke needed to go farther than any village. He needed to go west.

How did one prep for a year long journey on sea? He would ask someone but he feared recognition. The WANTED posters his village put up did nothing to soothe that fear. He was now bald and that drastically changed his appearance. He also figured it would take care of the possibility of lice. He heard stories of what goes on on the bottom of ships. Disease and vermin were apparently in abundance. The thought made him cringe but he knew he could bear it.

Stealing would be his next venture. Actually paying for stuff? He almost laughed. Sasuke might not be in Konoha, but everyone was guilty. No one deserved to be alive when Naruto wasn't.

Sasuke put on his best smile as he went into a clothing store of one of the vermin. She had no customers and he internally smiled. This would be easier than he thought.

Her eyes weren't puffy but red tinged around the edges, her wedding ring was lying on the table to her left and her make-up looked like it was done in a hurry. It took no time to deduce that she was having marital problems.

"Miss, I'm sorry to bother you but are you okay?" He sounded so normal, so much like them.

Years of torture didn't do away with his charm or his good looks either, despite his baldness. Sasuke's skin might be a bit too pale and scars might litter his body like stickers on a child's notebook, but, other than that, nothing changed too drastically.

"Is it that obvious?" She wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah. What happened? Is there anything I can help you with?"

He used his best sympathetic, caring voice he could muster. He wanted her to feel what he wanted her to feel, and it would only take a few well placed smiles and encouraging words. Trapping her would be easy. After all, she was in emotional distress and it was related to a spouse. Easy picking.

"Not much, well, unless you can travel back in time to shake the sense into me." She laughed bitterly, and Sasuke gave her a small apologetic smile. She returned it.

"I understand. I don't know if our situations are the same but probably close. My ex cheated on me with my best friend."

Sasuke wanted to laugh at the lie but held in his amusement. If she could relate to him, she would let her guard down.

"Really? Whoever your ex-girlfriend is, she's stupid," she said.

He smiled. "Your spouse is stupid as well. Who could ever hurt a pretty lady like you?"

She giggled and a blush dusted her cheeks.

"Thank you, Mister...?"

"You can call me Shinobu. And may I have the pleasure of getting your name?"

"Ah, yes, it's Hagu. Nice to meet you," she said while bowing.

How traditional. He nearly curled his lips.

"Nice to meet you, too! I don't want to stop but I have to get back to my son. I hate leaving him all alone."

It was all so laughably easy. A few well-worded bullshit lines were all he needed and she was eating from the palm of his hands just as planned.

"We have a kid, too. I know how that gets."

He gives her a small bow and a smile before walking over to look through the clothes on the rack. It was all very plain, consisting of neutral colors and common designs. They were perfect for his trip. His eyes traveled back to Hagu who immediately looked away.

He was so _good_.

"Hagu-san, do you mind if I used your bathroom? Well, I mean if you're uncomfortable with a customer using your bathroom. I could always go somewhere else."

"No! No, I mean it'll be no problem. Come this way."

She led the way upstairs. No sign of life. That was good. His smirk turned devious.

"Thanks for letting me use your bathroom, Hagu-san. I really appreciate it."

"Like I said before, it's no problem."

She waved her hand in front of her face before turning around. Her back was turned to him.

Should he spare her life?

Sasuke gave it a thought. Did they spare Naruto's life? Hatred burned in the pits of his stomach. Mercy? In this world, there was no true mercy.

Sasuke crept ever so closer. Slow or fast? He merely glanced over her pictures before he made up his mind.

He loved the feel of blood, did he not?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I kind of laughed hysterically when I chose the names. The kanji for Shinobu means patience and I thought of future Sasuke and I don't know I just found it so funny. And halfway through I realized I picked names from Honey and Clover. Ha, oh well.
> 
> So I've edited previous chapters and changed some things with the amazing advice from my beta. Go check it out if you're interested.
> 
> I have a tumblr if you ever want to get a hold of me. My url is sydbull. I follow back and I'm always willing to make new friends. :D
> 
> As always, any kind of feedback is appreciated. :3


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks goes to my beta that made this a lot better: [Angel's Sins](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2517223/)

Naruto felt sick, just utterly sick.

His skin wasn't necessarily smeared with blood, but he felt it linger, a mere ghost of a touch, light yet heavy. He wanted to scrub the disgusting feeling away, but he doubted that would help. However, he needed to do something to get it to disappear, to have it never come back.

Naruto got up from his bed and staggered towards the kitchen to wash away the dry-ick that took a hold of his mouth. His overly large nightshirt stuck to his back, and his hair stuck to his head in a suffocating manner, slicked with sweat. God, he needed a shower.

An idea struck him when he placed the plastic cup in the sink: he could cook. And why not? Maybe it'll distract him and that horrible nauseous feeling would go away.

He decided on something complex that would take an hour or two: curry and rice on the side. Naruto quickly hopped into the shower before scrubbing himself clean.

The feeling didn't disappear. Not even when he was finally clean or when he tried blanking his mind as he cooked the curry. The anxiety persisted. Restlessness then added itself to the mix.

He almost jumped for joy when he was finally done cooking. He could finally leave. Maybe Sasuke will be a bit more welcoming than the other day, but he doubted it. He hurriedly wrapped the bento in a checkered cloth and then left his apartment.

Naruto walked through the village with a little skip in his step to try to pep himself up. He smiled but it felt strained; and then he tried to sing a happy tune, but it fell flat. People eyed him suspiciously, but he continued forward despite their intense stares. He needed to do something else besides bringing Sasuke food. He needed this feeling gone and his mind blank.

Naruto soon caught sight of Sasuke and picked up his pace. He waved his hand enthusiastically in the air. "Sasuke!"

Even with Sasuke's presence, his faux happiness remained so. Sasuke might have picked up on it, but he didn't say anything about it.

The Uchiha only rolled his eyes. "Do you ever listen?"

"Nope!"

Sasuke's stoic face morphed instantly; his once flat lips pursed together and his eyes narrowed. "You better have something important to say or I'm going back inside."

"Actually, I do." Naruto put the bento in front of his face. "I come bearing gifts."

Sasuke's face changed once again but only this time, it gave no clue to what he was feeling, much like a brick wall. Naruto was about to say something, but Sasuke beat him to it.

"You keep doing this."

Naruto smiled genuinely this time and placed the bento on top of Sasuke's head. "I made curry."

Sasuke pulled the bento off his head and studied it. The action was subdued more than anything. Maybe it was just one of those days, for both of them.

The other eyed the bento warily before slowly untying the cover and folding it beside him. Sasuke opened the bento, stared at the delicacy before him, and took the spoon cautiously from Naruto's outstretched hand. He slowly began to eat; it was dainty at first but soon, he started to eat with great vigor.

They both stayed silent while they ate. Sasuke kept giving him subtle – or what the Uchiha thought was subtle – glances as if expecting him to break the silence at any moment. He didn't.

Even when the food was all gone and they had nothing left to do, the quiet remained. Sasuke's eyes were thoughtful and his forehead crinkled in deep thought. Naruto wondered, of course, but he didn't have the energy or the will to unlock Sasuke's inner-thoughts.

He decided to break the silence to say one last thing. "If you're ever hungry, just let me know."

Sasuke probed Naruto's eyes and posture, no doubt looking for some clue that would logically explain his behavior. He must not find it, Naruto thought unconsciously.

"Hn."

No more words were spoken. It was the first time Naruto didn't want to stay longer. He guessed there was a first time for everything.

He left the orphanage to roam around the village until he got an idea of how he could let out steam. The stares were particularly annoying today and he just wanted to do something to clear his mind and be alone. He stopped in the middle of the street, bodies moving around him with agitated steps, before he turned around and headed towards the forest.

He made his way inside the vast array of trees, not taking in the sights. He needed this. He needed to let all of these thoughts and feelings slip away from him. When he thought he went deep enough, Naruto stopped in front of a random tree in a large, empty clearing.

He slammed his fist in the tree, careful of any prying eyes. His fist ached but he didn't care as he pulled it out of the deep hole he created.

He attempted to not think, but he did it anyway.

Flashes of blood and that girl's, or Hagu's, body grew like shadows in his mind, and he felt even guiltier than before.

It was his entire fault. That girl was dead because of his stupid decision.

He wished he could've stayed dead. He should've accepted his fate and left it at that. Why was he so selfish?

His chakra flared and he punched the tree again. He paused to catch his breath and cursed at his lacking stamina. Naruto didn't know what to do anymore and wondered briefly if it would benefit everyone if he just let go, just let death catch up to him.

He shook his head and continued his assault on the tree despite his aching arms and short breaths. He already had come so far. He could beat the odds and defeat whoever this S was. Sasuke and him could live together in whatever sort of relationship they progressed to and everything could be perfect. But was that a pipe dream? Was it going to bring Sasuke and him to even more ruin than before? Kyuubi wasn't always going to be there for him. Even now, he could only feel a very weak presence from the demon.

Naruto had to do this himself. His gaze sharpened and his hands clenched into fists. The sickness and restlessness ebbed away.

It was about time he started working towards some of other goals.

* * *

 

Sasuke felt absolutely dirty. In fact, right after he killed the naïve woman, he took a bath in her tub. He was probably pushing it, but he felt like a god. No one could touch him and no one could do anything about it. And certainly, the mere notion that he decided whether she lived or died placed him above her and any one else who associated with her; so you could say this was his victory bath. Some killers kept artifacts; he took bathes in their tubs.

When the grime and blood washed away, he was left feeling cleaner in, oh, he didn't know how many years. He hurried downstairs to put on some extra clothing he had found in a spare room and get a sack packed for the trip. He hopped behind the counter where the woman once was, and dug into her cash register. He got more money than he needed for the heck of it. It wasn't as if she needed it.

He supposed he should try to hide, use his skills to make it appear as if he never left the store. People would be less suspicious and he might be able to spend another night in this town. Being a suspect in a murder wasn't his definition of a good time, but he felt high. He felt invincible. Maybe that made him careless, but he didn't care; couldn't get himself to care either. So he didn't. He walked out of there with his head held high. He wanted to smile smugly, but he feared ninjas were somewhere around. He settled for pretending that nothing was amiss.

Sasuke went straight to the docks to buy himself a seat on the ship set for sail for west. The air was humid and the sun beat down on his neck and bare head. Birds squawked in the distance and the scene was almost cliché. He traveled on the yellow and white brick streets while scanning the area for other ninjas. Everyone appeared so mundane and in-place, it almost placed him at more ease than what he was currently feeling. The others didn't pay him any mind and he wanted to scoff. He suspected that travelers were a common occurrence, but weren't they afraid of someone like him turning their lives upside down? Shouldn't they at least be wary?

He arrived quicker than anticipated. He surveyed the area again before taking a look at the booth where a ticket seller resided. It was small and the blue paint was peeling off. It was oddly endearing and reminded of him of a picture on a postcard he once saw.

The line was long despite the fact that the ship wouldn't set sail for another eight hours. But then again, it wasn't as if he ever went through this process before. He waited in line while tapping his foot in an erratic rhythm. Scorching sand made its way into his sandals. He didn't pay any mind to it.

Sasuke zeroed his focus onto the loud voice at the beginning of the line. " - a rip-off! I call bullshit!"

The man's back was straight, almost rigid, but what really stood out was his wavy blue hair; it had a more alien quality to it. Sasuke didn't think he had ever seen someone who looked that different from behind and it instantly intrigued him. The man would no doubt look just as different from the front as well.

"Take it or leave it," the ticket seller said with a deadpan.

The strange-looking man's posture shook with rage and his hands clenched into fists. Sasuke could tell he wanted to say or do something about whatever injustices that were just thrust upon him, but he doesn't.

He reached in his pocket for his money and slammed it on the counter. Sasuke couldn't hear what the man was saying under his breath but he imagined it to be something rude.

Why was he paying attention anyway? This didn't concern him and he certainly didn't care. He tuned the rest of the interaction out and thought about the woman's final breath, her look of betrayal as she opened her mouth to scream, the near-silence when her own sock was stuffed into her mouth. Then, like a raging, unavoidable inferno, he remembered when he was back there.

* * *

 

_"I love breaking you."_

_"N - No, please."_

_"Stop being a pussy. Do you have one down there? I wouldn't be surprised if you did."_

_Sasuke only moaned in pain as the other man took a scalpel and sliced his skin to the bone. The sound made him want to cover his ears. He wanted to go. Please, he sent out to the universe, help me._

_Help never came. Sasuke screamed and the man was not pleased - at all._

_"Here, I'll give you a present."_

_Sasuke didn't want it. He just wanted to get out and get away from another one of the torture-in-training sessions. He couldn't – he never could escape any of them - so he just took it when the man took one of his socks and shoved it in his mouth._

_Sasuke could tell the other man hadn't washed his socks in ages. It was the foulest taste his mouth had ever tasted._

* * *

 

Sasuke shivered and his heart sped up from the memory. It was over. It was done. Don't think about it.

He calmed himself down and then stared at the sea to his right; it sparkled like a million diamonds reflecting off the sun. It spanned out, seemingly forever, but one day he'd be on the other side. He couldn't wait, especially if the west held the way to get Naruto back. This was his last chance and if he couldn't find the answers he sought out for, well then, he had nothing to live for, did he?

The line moved swiftly after that. He was in the front before he knew it.

"A seat will cost around 24,000 yen," the ticket seller said in a robotic tone.

Sasuke's eyebrows rose. This was pricey; especially considering this wasn't a commercial ship. It wasn't like he could do anything without alerting someone of his presence; especially if other ninjas were around. Ninjas were infuriatingly keen when something was out of the ordinary, even if it was something small.

Sasuke placed the money in the man's hand and watched as he counted it. The man nodded at him before handing him a ticket. Finally. He just wanted to get on the ship and set sail. But he had to wait - for 8 hours. Sasuke wanted to roll his eyes but he suppressed the urge to.

"Is this seat taken?"

It was the loud man from earlier. Only now Sasuke could see his face and, like he predicted, his front was unique. His nose was crooked, his cheekbones were interestingly sharp, and his eyes held a familiar spark: determination. They reminded him of Naruto's. They were even blue, only they didn't remind him of the sky but of the sea. How fitting.

"No, not at all," Sasuke said, his voice smooth and pleasant. His fingers twitched at his side.

"Thank you. I think this is the only spot free. This is kind of weird to be honest. Usually everything wouldn't be busy until an hour or two before we set sail and - "

"It is peculiar," Sasuke interrupted the blue-haired man, already tired of the pointless drivel. He might see young Naruto in the man, but that didn't mean he wanted to listen to him go on and on.

The man plopped down beside Sasuke and gave him a huge smile. "Name's Usuke. Nice to meet you."

* * *

 

The next day came fast. He took a break from seeing Sasuke to focus on something else. Naruto knew the archives would most likely have no hint to who this S person is, much like in his original timeline, but he didn't know where else to go.

He decided to focus on training instead. He hoped when the time came, it came down to if he was ready or not, because he could prepare all right. He would win.

* * *

 

Orochimaru was the kind of person who reveled in finding new things he didn't know. He also loved unraveling every mystery that he came across, so it came at no surprise that he held such an interest in Naruto.

Naruto was fascinating. Beyond so, if he was being honest. He had been observing Sasuke when the boy had given the other a lunch he had made. It wouldn't have been so shocking if that kid had been anyone other than Naruto. How did he get the knowledge to make the bento? While Sasuke and Naruto were eating, he decided to read the boy's file. It was very thin and lacking in content, especially for someone who had the Kyuubi inside of him. It had the amount he was paid to live somewhere else and little notes here and there, but that was really about it.

Things just didn't add up. And the part of him that hungered for knowledge wouldn't let things as they were. So, when he saw the boy head into the forest a little bit later, Orochimaru followed him.

He stayed back and felt the boy probing for chakra signatures, and the mystery grew. The boy then used his own chakra with perfect control, to put a hole in a tree. How could a boy his age have such control, especially having just started the academy?

There was something going on beyond the surface and he wanted to know everything.

* * *

 

Naruto woke up and repeated the same process as two days ago. Only this time he made chicken sandwiches, and the sick feeling was not present. The day was nice; the blue sky had only a few wisps of clouds and the sun burned brightly, radiating its warmth to the ground below. A giddy feeling made its way into his guts.

Just one step closer, he thought.

Kids played in the streets; they were laughing and he wished Sasuke and a younger him were amongst them: adult-problems wiped clean and childhood still there. They may still be young age-wise, but they could never truly be children. He wished they could.

He ran his fingers through his hair before he walked up the winding path to the orphanage. His gaze quickly scanned the area. His heart leapt in his throat. What if... No, that couldn't have happened.

He needed to see Sasuke. Naruto could very well be overreacting, but he didn't care. If his suspicions were correct then Sasuke...

No. He couldn't think of that right now. Maybe Sasuke just slept in today. Maybe something else happened – preferably something happy. He hoped that was the case.

Naruto dropped the bento before he strode towards the orphanage. Anxiety then prompted him to hurry his steps and dash towards the side entrance. His fingers curled around the cracked sliding door before opening it fully with a small bang. He winced. Well, so much for subtlety. A few children turned their heads towards him and looked at him curiously.

"Where's Sasuke?"

Their curious gazes turned to pity and he knew.

Sasuke was in the basement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rewrote this chapter so many times it's not even funny. But at least it turned out alright. I hope I did it justice. Feedback is greatly appreciated. :)


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